MedDRA MSSO

MedDRA MSSO Style Guide

1. Introduction
2. The writing Process
Roles and Responsibilities
    Author
    CM
    Reviewers
    Approval Authority
3. Writing Guidelines
Usage and Style
    a vs an
    Abbreviations
    Acronyms
    And vs Ampersand (&)
    Capitalization-MedDRA
    Capitalization-Titles
    Capitalization-Generic
         Terms
    Capitalization-MedDRA
         Versions
    Citations
    Citations-MedDRA
    Citations-PtC
    Cities: US and non_US
         Cities
    Configuration Item
         Identifiers
    Data
    Dataset vs data set
    Date format
    e.g. vs i.e.
    English spelling
    English spelling-exceptions
    Font
    Help Desk
    Imply and Infer
    its vs it's
    Login and Log In
    MedDRA ID
    MedDRA Terms
    MedDRA Translations
    Multi-Axial and Multi-axiality
    Numbers
    Ogic vs ogical
    Online
    Onsite
    PtC MTS:PTC DRP:PTC
    Screenprints
    Shall and will
    Singular vs Plural
    Time format
    User vs Subscriber
    Version vs Release
    Videocast vs Video Cast
    Web-Based Browser
    Website
    Which and that
Punctuation
    Apostrophe
    Colon
    Comma
    Commas in MedDRA Terms
    Commas in sentences with
         two independent clauses
    Commas used before Latin
         abbreviations
    Contractions
    Dash
    Hyphens, en dashes, em
         dashes
    Justification
    Parenthesis
    Periods
    Quotation Marks
    Semicolon
    Slash
    Tabs
    Underlining
    Widows and Orphans
4. MSSO Templates
App A. Acknowledgements
App B. MSSO Acronyms
App C. Special Characters

MedDRA MSSO Style Guide

 

1. INTRODUCTION

Overview

    The MedDRA MSSO Style Guide was developed to provide a quick reference guide to aid in the writing process, to ensure a consistent look and feel of the MSSO brand in all documentation.

Scope

    The guidelines contained in the MedDRA MSSO Style Guide apply to:

    Correspondence to MedDRA users
    MSSO External Email messages (optional for internal email)
    Management Board documents
    *MedDRA documentation
    PowerPoint presentations
       – External (DIA, User Groups, Training)
       – Internal (staff presentations
    Proposals and Contracts
    SOPs and other QA documents

    In addition to these types of documents, CM services are provided for other documents for the purpose of storage and control.  These documents, which do not require a full level of CM review and control, should also adhere to the formatting guidelines contained in this style guide.

    * An exception is that existing text in MedDRA release documentation will not be modified due to translation issues. These guidelines will however apply to the What’s New document, which is a new issue for each release.

    The following references have been used in developing this style guide:

    Configuration Management Standard Operating Procedures for the MSSO.

    MedDRA Maintenance and Support Services Organization. Introductory Guide to MedDRA Version 21.0. McLean. Virginia. March, 2018

    Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Sample References, International Committee of Medical Journal Editors at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/uniform_requirements.html.

Acknowledgements:

    MedDRA® trademark is registered by IFPMA on behalf of ICH. Microsoft® and PowerPoint® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.  

2. THE WRITING PROCESS

    This section outlines the process for producing an MSSO document. The instructions in this style guide reflect the process for controlled documents; however, the same guidelines can be used for all documentation.

    For detailed information about the document development process, please refer to the Configuration Management Standard Operating Procedures for the MSSO (CM SOP), which is located at CM Controlled Documents/Process Plans and Procedures.

    Roles and Responsibilities
    Every document involves the author, reviewers, Configuration Management (CM), and an approval authority.

    The Author
    It is possible for a document to have more than one contributor, but there can only be one author. The author is responsible for the content of the document and serves as the contact for CM during the review process.

    It is the author’s responsibility to:

    •   Request a Configuration Item Identifier (CII) from CM. For revisions, obtain a copy of the document from CM, save as the new document, and change the version number in the filename, title page, and document footer using redline format.

    •   Insert the CII in the footer of the document. Refer to the MSSO document template in the SharePoint Templates_Forms_Logos directory..

    •   Ensure the Properties screen reflects the appropriate information (i.e., author, organization, title).

    •   Go to File / Options / Trust Center / Trust Center Settings / Privacy Options. The box below should be unchecked
        

    •   For documents distributed externally, outside the MSSO, remove all personal information from the file after approval of the document..

    •   Identify the name of the file using the CII (e.g., 000208 Document Name).

    •   Perform an internal review if appropriate prior to finalizing the document

    •   Produce the final document

    •   Ensure all headings, tables, and figures have been entered correctly so that they can be auto generated in the Table of Contents. Do not enter headings manually. Please ensure the Table of Contents is updated throughout the review process to reflect the most current changes.

    •   Ensure the Table of Contents shows MedDRA vs MEDDRA.

    •   Submit the final document to CM for the review and approval process.
         -- List the names of document reviewers in the submittal email to CM

       Important:
         -- Attach source files that were used to produce graphics in the document, e.g., Excel spreadsheet

    •   The file submitted to CM will be considered the master file. It is recommended that you discard any local copies of the document. If changes are required during the review process, you must use the file that was sent to you by CM during the review, and return the same file to CM. Care should be taken not to change the name of the file prior to returning it to CM

    •   CM will mediate among reviewers and author of the document, to resolve issues brought up during the approval process.

    •   All redlines and comments will remain in the document for the benefit of all reviewers until the document is approved.

    •   If you reject redlines from a reviewer, strike them out and place a comment in the file stating the reason it was rejected. Similarly, if you disagree with a comment, place your name and additional comment within the reviewer's comment field stating the reason for not implementing the comment.

    •   If you agree with a comment, place a note inside the comment block, e.g., "Agree" or "Fixed."

    Configuration Management
    Configuration Management processes all documents and coordinates the approval process. It is CM's responsibility to:

    •   Assign CI Identifiers to the Author during the writing process

    •   Route final documents during the review process until all reviewers approve as published

    •   Maintain configuration status accounting information

    •   Maintain the CM Controlled Document Library. 

    Reviewers
    Once a document is submitted to CM, it goes through a formal review and approval process. It is the reviewer's responsibility to:

    •   Review the document in a timely manner

    •  Summarize redline changes to the document, summarize the edits in your email to CM, and attach the redlined file

    •   Comments can be used when reviewing a document, but they must be entered using the Word comment feature, or by stating the comment in an email. Do not type your comments into the text of a document. If your comment asks a question, please provide suggested wording changes, if possible.

    •   Return the document to CM using the email that transmitted the document to you. The email contains the review record. 

    •   Be sure to keep the review document attached to the email when sending your response to CM. This can be done by forwarding the email to CM rather than replying to CM..

    Approval Authority
    The Approval Authority for most controlled documents is the MSSO Director. Non-baseline documents to be placed under CM control require, at a minimum, the approval of the submitter and the Division Manager.

3. WRITING GUIDELINES

    What is in This Section
    This section provides basic guidelines for usage, style, and punctuation.

    Usage and Style
    The following is a quick reference to basic rules for usage and style.


    a vs an

    Some people believe that an should always be used before a word beginning with h, e.g., “I prefer an hotel to a motel.”  The rule is to use an before words beginning with h only when the h is silent, as in honest, honor, and hour.

    an hour
    an honest
    a hotel
    a historical

    With the indefinite article, the choice of a or an depends on the sound of the word it precedes.

    Below are some examples of when to use a or an before an acronym

    an MSSO
    an LLT
    an HLGT
    a SOC


    Abbreviations

    With few exceptions, abbreviations should be avoided in formal writing. A few terms, however, are abbreviated in all forms of writing, e.g., Ph.D., B.S., Mr., Mrs., Dr., Prof.

    Do not abbreviate MedDRA terms.

    Wrong      Surgical SOC
    Right         SOC Surgical and medical procedures


    Acronyms

    The first time an acronym appears in the text, expand the acronym and follow it with the acronym in parentheses. Afterwards, use the acronym.
  • First time      The Maintenance and Support Services
                         Organization (MSSO) has been chartered…

  • Afterwards    The MSSO has maintained the terminology …

    And vs Ampersand (&)
    The ampersand (&) is regarded as an abbreviation and should be changed to “and” in running text. Exceptions include expressions like “R&D” and names of corporations that are generally abbreviated, such as AT&T, where it would be odd to spell out “and” but not the rest of the abbreviation.


    Capitalization-MedDRA
    MedDRA is ALWAYS spelled as shown here. A manual edit may be necessary to retain this format, particularly in Headings and Tables of Contents.

    The exception would be when you are referencing the original, historic version of “MEDDRA” when the acronym used to stand for “Medical Dictionary for Drug Regulatory Affairs.”


    Capitalization-Titles
    In titles (e.g., document titles, PowerPoint slide titles, all headings), capitalize the first letter of all nouns, verbs, and adjectives, as well as prepositions and pronouns that are more than three letters long. Always capitalize the first letter of the first word in a title.

    Objectives for MedDRA Development
    Proposed Device Term Inclusion Criteria
    Standard Operating Procedures for the MedDRA Maintenance and Support Services Organization

    Use initial capitals for the words ”section,” ”chapter,” ”appendix,” ”figure,“and “table” only when they are followed by a designation:

    See Section 8.1.
    See the next section.
    Refer to Appendix B for examples.

    Wrong:       He had a Chevrolet Truck.
    Right:         He had a Chevrolet truck.           


    Capitalization-MedDRA Versions

    When using the MedDRA version in a general sense, do not capitalize; when referring to a specific (named) version, it should be capitalized.

    Wrong: The upcoming MedDRA Version is scheduled for release in September. (This is not a specific version; therefore "version" should not be capitalized.)
    Right: The upcoming MedDRA version is scheduled for release in September.

    Wrong: MedDRA version 8.1 is scheduled for release in September. (This is a specific version and should be capitalized.)
    Right: MedDRA Version 8.1 is scheduled for release in September.


    Citations
    When citing sources and references (e.g., journals, books, internet sources, electronic materials) in MSSO published articles, be consistent in the format used. For examples of citation styles, refer to Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Sample References, published by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/uniform_requirements.html.

    Citations-MedDRA

    For in-text citing of MedDRA, use "MedDRA Version ##.#." Refer to the Version vs Release Rule section below.

    For references, use the standard electronic material reference (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/uniform_requirements.html), which is recommended by Vancouver style:

    Cancer-Pain.org [homepage on the Internet].  New York: Association of Cancer Online Resources, Inc.; c2000-01 [updated 2002 May 16; cited 2002 Jul 9]. Available from: http://www.cancer-pain.org/.

    Using the MedDRA Version 20.0 Introductory Guide as an example: MedDRA Maintenance and Support Services Organization.  Introductory Guide to MedDRA Version 20.0. McLean, Virginia [updated 2017 March; cited 2017 Mar 1]. Available from: http://www.meddra.org/how-to-use/support-documentation.


    Citations-Points to Consider (PtC) documents

    When citing a section in the Points to Consider (PtC) documents, use one of the following formats depending on the flow:

    For more information about split coding, please refer to the current release of the MedDRA Term Selection: Points to Consider document, Section 3.5.4. 
         OR
    Please refer to the current release of the MedDRA Term Selection: Points to Consider document, Section 3.5.4 When to “split” into more than one MedDRA term. 

    In the document TOC itself, the section number is followed by the name without any colons or hyphens.

    US cities:                City, State  Country
                                   Denver, Colorado USA

    Non-US cities:        City, Country
                                   London, UK

    000208

    The format for the filename is:

    000208 Configuration Management SOP.docx


    Data
    The word “data” is plural for “datum”; the plural form of any verb associated with this word needs to be used.

    Based on these data and the following assumptions...
    The data show…

    Dataset
    When referring to "dataset," the MSSO has determined that it should be used as one word.


    Date format
    Use the international date format for all official and external documentation. The month should not be abbreviated unless space is an issue.

    Single numeral dates should not have a leading zero. Commas should not be used. Spell out the day of the week if used.

    Wrong:       May 9, 2018          Wrong: 5/9/18
    Right :         9 May 2018         

    Wrong:       14 Feb 2018
    Right:         14 February 2018           

    Wrong:       08 August 2018
    Right:         8 August 2018           

    Wrong:      Mon 14, November 2018
    Right:         Monday 14 November 2018   

    days:

    Use "1-day" rather than "one day"
    Plural form 2-day course (versus 2 days course)   


    e.g. vs i.e.
    The Latin terms e.g. (for example) and i.e. (that is) should be used as shown below.
    For example – used if you are giving examples.

    He enjoys many sports, e.g., swimming, skating, biking.    

    That is – used when you are giving a specific explanation.

    a SOC must be related directly (i.e., be superordinate) to at least one HLGT.

    Use italics when spelling out a Latin term.

    Bene Factum

    Use a comma before the abbreviation unless it is set out in parentheses.
    Never begin a sentence with an abbreviation; spell out the abbreviation.

    Wrong: E.g., "High serum potassium" is considered an investigation.
    Right: For example, “High serum potassium” is considered an investigation.

    Note that these terms should be used only when informality is appropriate. Their English equivalents are preferable in documentation.


    English spelling
    All MSSO-generated correspondence and documentation should use North American English spelling.

    Wrong:  The Board greeted the news favourably.
    Right:   The Board greeted the news favorably.


    English spelling – exceptions
    Exceptions to this rule will occur throughout the MedDRA website and when using formal names such as International Council for Harmonisation (ICH), and Standardised MedDRA Query (SMQ). The MedDRA website conforms to ICH style and uses UK English spelling throughout.

    Refer to the Style Guide Annex 3_website guide, located in CM Controlled Documents/Records / Software Tools / MedDRA MSSO Web / MedDRA.org.


    Font
    With the exception of certain headers, etc. in MSSO template documents, the default font for all MSSO documents is Arial 12 point.


    Help Desk
    "Helpdesk" is not an accepted English word. Always use two words spelled with initial caps.

    Right:  Help Desk
    Wrong:   help desk
    Wrong:   helpdesk


    Imply and Infer
    The terms imply and infer are often used incorrectly. The speaker implies while the listener infers.

    Imply – The instructor implied there would be a lot of written homework.
    Infer – While listening to the Director at a recent staff meeting, I inferred that we would be given every other Friday off.


    its vs it's
    “Its” and “it’s” are commonly confused. “Its” is the possessive, referring to something that belongs to “it.” “It’s” is a contraction for the phrase “it is.”

    An easy way to remember this is as follows: if you are not sure if an apostrophe is needed, say the phrase you wish to write and substitute the phrase “it is.” If the phrase still makes sense, “it’s” can be used. If the phrase does not make sense, use “its.”

    For example:

    (It’s) or (Its) a lovely day today!

    “It is” a lovely day today! makes sense, so the contraction (It’s) can be used.

    You can’t judge a book by (it’s) or (its) cover.

    You can’t judge a book by “it is” cover does not make sense, so do not use the contraction; use the possessive form “its.”


    Login and Log In
    Login is the noun (my login) or adjective (the login page), and log in is the verb (you need to log in).

    Right: My login is entered on the login page
    Wrong: My log in is entered on the log in page

    Right: Log In to WebCR
    Wrong: Login to WebCR


    MedDRA ID

    "MedDRA ID" rather than "subscriber ID" or "user ID."


    MedDRA Terms

    The correct way to present a MedDRA term is shown below.
    The term level should precede the term text. Always italicize MedDRA terms, using initial capitals for the first word of the term. This includes naming SMQs in text documentation. 
    Never abbreviate MedDRA terms.

    For more information, refer to the MedDRA Introductory Guide, Rules and Conventions Adopted in the Terminology.

    TERM LEVEL  Term text
    SOC Cardiac disorders
    HLT Cardiac auscultatory investigations
    SOC Injury, poisoning and procedural complications
    SMQ Severe cutaneous adverse reactions (for text documents)
    Severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SMQ) (for files)
    (e.g., SMQ Introductory Guide uses this format when referring to SMQs)

    NOTE: Quotation marks should not be used to quote MedDRA terms; however, there are a few MedDRA terms that include quotes, e.g., LLT Feeling “cool.”

    Terms should not be represented in shorthand jargon for any document, email, or formal briefing that goes outside of the MSSO.

    Wrong:  Neoplasm SOC
    Right :   SOC Neoplasms benign, malignant and unspecified
                (incl cysts and polyps)

    There can be exceptions to this rule, but only if the abbreviated form is clearly marked as such. For example, place the following statement in the document: From here on in this document, Neoplasm SOC will be used instead of SOC Neoplasms benign, malignant and unspecified (incl cysts and polyps).


    MedDRA Translations
    A MedDRA translation should be referred to as “MedDRA language translation” without a hyphen. For example, the Chinese translation should be referred to as “MedDRA Chinese translation” and the German translation should be referred to as “MedDRA German translation.”


    Multi-axial and Multi-axiality
    The MSSO preferred style is multi-axial with the hyphen. The MSSO style shall be used except for the MedDRA website, which uses the ICH preferred style, multiaxial, without the hyphen.


    Numbers
    Spell out the numbers one to nine unless they indicate a measurement or reflect the appearance of the display:

    There are five ways to make a list.
    The entry in the field is 5.

    Express all other numbers as numerals, except at the beginning of a sentence. Either spell out the number or recast the sentence so that it does not begin with a number:

    Wrong: 5 features are available from this menu.
    Better: Five features are available from this menu.
    Best: You can access five features from this menu.

    When spelling out a number would be awkward (as in "Two hundred seventy-five people attended the conference"), then it is best to rewrite the sentence to avoid having it begin with a number ("An estimated crowd of 275 people attended the conference").
    When a sentence contains 2 or more numbers, and 1 of them is 10 or more, use numerals for each number.

    The table listed 15 items to be distributed to 3 people.

    When a number is larger than 999, use a comma every three digits.

    1.082
    1,584,987,445


    Ogic vs ogical
    In the UK, the suffix “-ogical” is used (e.g., the pathological concept…). In the US, the shorter suffix “-ogic” is used (e.g., the pathologic concept…). Since we use American English in our documents and communications, the shorter suffix should be used.


    Online
    The correct spelling is one word, non-hyphenated

    Right: Online
    Wrong: On-line
    Wrong: On line



    Onsite
    The correct spelling is "on-site"; however, the MSSO adopts the common, unhyphenated form, "onsite."

    Right: Onsite training
    Wrong: On-site training
    Wrong: On site training



    PtC
    MTS:PTC
    DRP:PTC

    When referring to the Points to Consider documents in general, use PtC.

    The PtC documents are attached.

    When referring to the specific PTC documents, all caps are used:

    MTS:PTC MedDRA Term Selection: Points to Consider
    DRP:PTC MedDRA Data Retrieval and Presentation: Points to Consider


    Screenprints
    All screenprints should be grammar and spell checked prior to capturing the screen to remove unrecognized words. Care should be taken to remove unwanted underlines. All screenprints and graphics should include a frame around them. To do this:

    Right click on the image
    Choose Format picture
    Line Style: 1.25 or 1.5 pt
    Line color: solid line, black, or choose other color


    Shall and will
    The difference between will and shall is that will makes a promise or a prediction, while shall states a requirement. In general, you should use the word “shall” very carefully as this could be interpreted in some parts of the world as the MSSO being prescriptive and heavy-handed.

    By tomorrow morning, your work will be done. (a prediction)
    By tomorrow morning, your work shall be done. (a requirement)


    Singular vs Plural
    Staff, Group, Panel. Staff, for all intents and purposes, are singular. There is one staff. Definition 5.e. in Merriam-Webster's entry allows for use as plural, however, the preferred use is singular.
    In U.S. English the rule is typically that if you are speaking of them as a unit ("The class is taking a field trip to a fire station."), you use a singular verb. … The more common distinction is that American English tends to treat collective nouns as singular ("The staff is exceptionally capable."), and British English treats them as plural ("The staff are looking forward to meeting the new director."). Both are correct.

    Time format
    The MSSO has adopted the twenty-four-hour system of expressing time (used in Europe and in the military); four digits always appear as shown below

    09:00 = 9:00 a.m.
    12:00 = noon
    14:38 = 2:38 p.m.
    24:00 = midnight

    In some areas, it may be necessary to indicate the time zone:

    09:00 USA EDT

    The use of AM and PM is acceptable in less formal correspondence.

    Version vs Release
    Be consistent when referring to our product. The preferred wording is MedDRA Version ##.#. There is a practical reason for doing this. The PtC documents have a “release number” based on the version of the PtC document itself, but they relate to a “version” of MedDRA.


    Web-Based Browser
    When referring to the WBB, use a hyphen between "Web" and "Based." All words are initial caps.

    Wrong: Web Based Browser
    Right: Web-Based Browser


    Website
    When referring to the internet, use the term web site. When referring to meddra.org, use MedDRA website.

    Wrong: web site or Web site or MSSO website
    Right: website and specifically MedDRA website


    Which and that
    Distinguish between the relative pronouns which and that as follows:
    Which introduces a nonrestrictive clause that is always set off with commas:

    The ENTER key, which is located on the left side of your keyboard, is used more than any other key.

    Nonrestrictive clauses add incidental detail that is not essential to the meaning of the sentence. The clause “which is located on the left side of your keyboard” is helpful to the reader, but can be deleted without harm.

    That introduces a restrictive clause that is never set off with commas:

    The ENTER key that is on the numeric keypad cannot be used with this software.

    Restrictive clauses add identifying information that is essential to the meaning of the sentence. The clause “that is on the numeric keypad” cannot be deleted without causing confusion.


    Punctuation

    The following is a quick reference to basic punctuation rules.

    Apostrophe
    Use the apostrophe to make the possessive form:

    Right: You can view the SOC's title by selecting...
    Right: The Boss's desk

    Do not use the apostrophe to make the plural form of figures, letters, or acronyms, unless the acronym ends in a lowercase letter:

    Right: You can view all of the SOCs by selecting...
    Right: 1990s
    Right: HLGTs


    Colon
    Colons introduce run-in lists and terminate sentences that immediately introduce lists, figures, or tables.

    Do not end a page with a colon.


    Comma
    Commas always appear before the conjunction in lists with more than two items.

    lions and bears
    lions or bears
    lions, tigers, and bears
    lions, tigers, or bears

    SOC Injury, poisoning and procedural complications


    Commas used in sentences with two independent clauses
    The comma always appears before a conjunction that joins two independent clauses that each have their own subject. An easy way to remember this rule is as follows: if removing the “and” would result in two complete sentences, then a comma is needed before the “and.”

    Wrong: She sat down at the piano and she enchanted the audience.
    Right: She sat down at the piano, and she enchanted the audience.


    Commas used before Latin abbreviations
    Use a comma before the Latin abbreviations e.g. and i.e., unless the e.g. and i.e. are used within parentheses. Always use a comma after these abbreviations.

    Wrong: He enjoys many sports e.g., swimming, skating, biking.
    Right: He enjoys many sports, e.g., swimming, skating, biking.
    Right: He has a favorite sport (i.e. biking).


    Contractions
    Do not use any form of a contraction in formal English (i.e. documentation meant for official or external use).

    Wrong: Don’t code to the HLT level.
    Right: Do not code to the HLT level.


    Dash
    Dashes, also called em dashes, are like parentheses, in that they mark off material that interrupts the syntax of the sentence.

    Dashes — like parentheses — mark off material…

    Dashes are weaker than parentheses but stronger than commas. Use dashes to avoid nesting parentheses.


    Justification
    With Microsoft Word, all text paragraphs should be left-justified.


    Hyphens, en dashes, and em dashes
    Commonly, groupings of two or more words acquire hyphens when used as an adjective or adverb, but remain without when used on their own.

    Hyphens are also used for hyphenating words for line breaks. En dashes are used between words indicating duration, such as hourly time or months or years; where you might use the word “to.”

    The long-term aim (adjective)

    In the longterm (noun)

    Wrong: October-December
                 07:30-09:45

    Right: October–December
                 07:30–09:45


    Parenthesis
    Parentheses mark off material that interrupts the syntax of the sentence.

    Dashes (which are like parentheses) mark off material that…

    Use dashes to avoid nesting parentheses. Avoid overusing parentheses.

    Nested parentheses should be avoided. Brackets [brackets] should be used.

    Brackets (which are like [but not the same as] parentheses) mark off material that…


    Periods
    Periods end complete sentences. Items in a list are terminated with periods if they are a complete sentence. Place one space after each period. Traditional sentence spacing with two spaces after a period is no longer the accepted standard in most style guides.


    Quotation Marks
    In American English, periods and commas always go inside the closing quotation mark; semicolons, colons, asterisks, and dashes always go outside the closing quotation mark; and question marks and exclamation points require that you analyze the sentence and make a decision based on context.

    “There is nothing to fear,” he said with great emphasis, “except fear itself.”

    Whole sentence is a question:

    Did she ask you whether you enjoyed Aardvark's song "Ode to Ants"?

    Only the part of the sentence in quoation marks is a question:

    I love Aardvark's song "Where Have All the Ants Gone?"

    Use single quotation marks only when using a quote within a quote.

    ”Don’t be absurd!” said Patrick. “To say that ‘I mean what I say’ is the same as ‘I say what I mean’ is to be as confused as Alice at the Mad Hatter’s tea party.”

    Note: Quotation marks should not be used to quote MedDRA terms; however, there are a few MedDRA terms that include quotes, e.g., LLT Feeling “cool.”


    Semicolon
    The semicolon replaces an unspoken conjunction.

    MedDRA Version 8.0 has been published on the web because it is now offered as a downloadable release.

    MedDRA Version 8.0 has been published on the web; it is now offered as a downloadable release.


    Slash
    Do not form compound words with a slash.

    If the words are close synonyms, choose an appropriate word and use it instead:

    Wrong: a preliminary/initial evaluation
    Right: an initial evaluation

    If the words are separate items, use the appropriate conjunction between them:

    Wrong: to view an ADS/TTP… (there is no such entity)
    Right: to view an ADS or a TTP…

    However, use a slash whenever you are quoting a name that contains a slash:

    Select ADS/TTP from the Report menu to obtain a report on an ADS or a TTP.

    If the slash indicates a reciprocal relationship between opposites, use a hyphen instead of a slash:

    Wrong: an on/off switch
    Right: an on-off switch

    Do not use ”and/or.“ Avoid its imprecision by using one of the plain-language alternatives below:

    Inclusive or:

    A or B.
    A or B or both
    A, B, or C, or any combination.

    Exclusive or:

    Either A or B.
    Either A or B or both
    Any of the following:A, B, or C.

    Logical and:

    A and B.
    Both A and B.
    All of the following: A, B, and C.


    Tabs
    Use tabs and first-line indents. Never use the space bar to align text; never use more than one tab between columns. Adjust the tab settings instead.

tabs



    Underlining
    Do not underline for emphasis; use bold or italics instead. Underlining usually refers to  a web link within a document or on a web page. Underlining also tends to be heavy, too close to the type, and bumps into the letters.


    Widows and Orphans

    Widows and orphans should be avoided. Being aware of a widow – one word on the last line of a paragraph – for us is most applicable to headings and PowerPoint presentations. If possible, bring another word down by using ALT-Shift so that the widow is not left alone.

    Orphans occur when headings are left on the bottom of a page and the text starts on the next page or when fewer than two lines of text flow over to the next page.

    Headings should have at least two lines of text after the heading. New pages should start either with a heading or at least two lines of text..

widows and orphans


4. MSSO TEMPLATES
    This section lists standard templates that are used for MSSO documents. Templates are provided to ensure consistency in the style of MSSO documentation.

    The following templates are available in CM at https://share.mssotools.com/cm/Shared Documents/MSSO Internal NEC/Templates_Forms_Logos/

    MedDRA Release Document
    Meeting Notes for MSSO Personnel
    MSSO Internal Document
    MSSO Letterhead
    MSSO Presentation
    MSSO Proposal
    MSSO Training Course Template
    Broadcast Email
    Submittal of Broadcast Email
    The guidelines contained in the MSSO Style Guide should be followed for basic usage, style, and punctuation; however, the rules for documents do not always apply for presentation slides, e.g., abbreviated titles, bulletized items, etc. The author may choose the exact format required for each briefing. These are general guidelines to consider, which provide some uniformity in our presentations.

    Our standard PowerPoint template is not used for DIA presentations. DIA allows a logo only on the title slide.  All subsequent slides must be devoid of logos.
Appendix A. Acknowledgements
    Note Copyright vs Trademark:
    A Copyright is the legal right granted to an author, composer, playwright, publisher, or distributor to exclusive publication, production, sale, or distribution of a literary, musical, dramatic, or artistic work.

    Copyright symbols should be used only when part of the copyrighted material is used in a document. It is not necessary to use the copyright symbol when referring to a name, without using any of the copyrighted material.

    A trademark is a distinctive name, phrase, symbol, design, picture, or style used by a business to identify itself and its products to consumers. If the business identified is a service rather than a product, the mark is sometimes called a service mark.

    A Registered Trademark Symbol® signifies that the trademark or service mark has been officially registered with the relevant trademark registry, with the government.

    The first time you use the trademark or copyright in a document, you should follow it by the proper symbol. Afterwards, you may use the trademark or copyright without the symbol, as long as you use the correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.

    The trademark™ and registered trademark® symbols should always appear in superscript type, while the copyright © symbol should be in line with the text.

    You must acknowledge all trademarks and copyrights in a list of acknowledgements in the document.
    Trademarks
    Drupal® is a registered trademark of Dries Buytaert.

    Enabler™ is a trademark of Northrop Grumman Corporation. 

    MedDRA® trademark is owned by IFPMA on behalf of ICH.  

    Other product and corporate names may be trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.  

    1and1™  and 1&1™  are trademarks of 1&1 Internet, Inc.

    Acrobat®, Adobe®, Dreamweaver®, Photoshop®, and Reader® are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

    ArisGlobal®, @ris global®, and ARISg™ are either registered trademarks or trademarks of ArisGlobal, LLC. 

    AT&T® is a registered trademark of AT&T Intellectual Property.   

    BSi™ is a trademark of BSi Management Systems America, Inc.

    Cerner® is a registered trademark of Cerner Corporation. 

    Phase Forward®  is a registered trademark of Phase Forward Incorporated.

    Clintrial™ current owner =  Oracle International Corporation. 

    Capability Maturity Models®, CMM®, CMM IntegrationSM , People Capability Maturity Model®, and P-CMM® are registered trademarks of the Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University.

    Dell™and Latitude™are trademarks of Dell Inc. 

    Drupal™ is a trademark of Dries Buytaert

    Visual InterceptÒ is a registered trademark of Elsinore Technologies, Inc.

    Enabler is a trademark of Northrop Grumman Corporation.  

    Gateway is a trademark of Gateway Inc.

    Gonal-F® is a registered trademark of Merck KGaA.

    HP®, HP-UX®, Open VMS®, PA-RISC®, Scanjet®, and LaserJet® are registered trademarks of Hewlett-Packard Company.

    IBM® is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

    Infragistics® is a registered trademark of Infragistics, Inc.

    InstallShield® is a registered trademark of Flexera Software LLC.

    Intel® and Pentium® are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

    IONA® and Orbix® are registered trademarks of Micro Focus International PLC.

    Linux® is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries.

    Mac® and OS X® are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

    MeSH®, Unified Medical Language System® and UMLS® are registered trademarks of the United States National Library of Medicine.

    Microsoft
    Access®, Active Desktop®, ActiveX®, Excel®, FrontPage®, IntelliMouse®, Microsoft®, Microsoft Press®, MS-DOS®, MSDN®, NetMeeting®, Outlook®, PowerPoint®, SourceSafe®, Visio®, Visual C++®, Visual InterDev®, Visual J++®, Visual SourceSafe®, Visual Studio®, Win32®, Windows®, Windows NT®, and SQL Server ® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

    Novell® and NetWare® are registered trademarks of Novell, Inc.

    Oracle:
    Clintrial®, Empirica®, Java®, JavaScript®, Oracle Solaris™, SQL*Plus®, and Oracle® are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates.

    Phase Forward® and InForm® are registered trademarks of Phase Forward Incorporated.

    Rackspace® is a registered trademark of Rackspace US, Inc.

    Rebif® (Serono Inc., Geneva, Switzerland).

    SAS® is a registered trademark of SAS Institute, Inc.

    SnagIt® is a registered trademark of TechSmith Corporation.

    Sybase® and SQL Anywhere® are registered trademarks of Sybase, Inc.

    SNOMED® (Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine)

    SNOMED CT® (SNOMED Clinical Terms)

    SNOMED® and SNOMED CTÒ are registered trademarks of the International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation.

    System Commander® is a registered trademark of V Communications, Inc.

    Times New Roman is a registered trademark of The Monotype Corporation.

    TrueType® is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.

    Ultimus® is a registered trademark of Ultimus Incorporated.

    UNIX® is a registered trademark of X/Open Company, Ltd.

    Visual Intercept is a registered trademark of Elsinore Technologies, Inc.

    WebEx® is a registered trademark of Cisco WebEx.
    Copyrights

    For documents:
    Disclaimer and Copyright Notice
    This document is protected by copyright and may, with the exception of the MedDRA and ICH logos, be used, reproduced, incorporated into other works, adapted, modified, translated or distributed under a public license provided that ICH's copyright in the document is acknowledged at all times. In case of any adaption, modification or translation of the document, reasonable steps must be taken to clearly label, demarcate or otherwise identify that changes were made to or based on the original document. Any impression that the adaption, modification or translation of the original document is endorsed or sponsored by the ICH must be avoided.

    The document is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. In no event shall the ICH or the authors of the original document be liable for any claim, damages or other liability arising from the use of the document.

    The above-mentioned permissions do not apply to content supplied by third parties. Therefore, for documents where the copyright vests in a third party, permission for reproduction must be obtained from this copyright holder.
    For Presentations:
    Disclaimer and Copyright Notice
    This presentation is protected by copyright and may, with the exception of the MedDRA and ICH logos, be used, reproduced, incorporated into other works, adapted, modified, translated or distributed under a public license provided that ICH's copyright in the presentation is acknowledged at all times. In case of any adaption, modification or translation of the presentation, reasonable steps must be taken to clearly label, demarcate or otherwise identify that changes were made to or based on the original presentation. Any impression that the adaption, modification or translation of the original presentation is endorsed or sponsored by the ICH must be avoided.

    The presentation is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. In no event shall the ICH or the authors of the original presentation be liable for any claim, damages or other liability arising from the use of the presentation.

    The above-mentioned permissions do not apply to content supplied by third parties. Therefore, for documents where the copyright vests in a third party, permission for reproduction must be obtained from this copyright holder.
    For the web site:
    Disclaimer and Copyright Notice
    The information and material provided on this website are protected by copyright and may, with the exception of the MedDRA and ICH logos, be used, reproduced, incorporated into other works, adapted, modified, translated or distributed under a public license provided that ICH's copyright in the information and material is acknowledged at all times. In case of any adaption, modification or translation of the information or material, reasonable steps must be taken to clearly label, demarcate or otherwise identify that changes were made to or based on the original information or material. Any impression that the adaption, modification or translation of the original information or material is endorsed or sponsored by the ICH must be avoided.

    The information and material are provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. In no event shall the ICH or the authors of the original information and material be liable for any claim, damages or other liability arising from the use of the information and material.

    The above-mentioned permissions do not apply to content supplied by third parties. Therefore, for documents where the copyright vests in a third party, permission for reproduction must be obtained from this copyright holder.

    __________________________________________________________

    Northrop Grumman Copyright

    Copyright © yyyy Northrop Grumman Corporation. All rights reserved. 

    No part of this work may be reproduced, modified, or distributed in any form or by any means or stored in any database retrieval system, without prior written permission of Northrop Grumman Corporation.    

    Note:  We no longer use the Northrop Grumman Logo or copyright on MSSO program documents (e.g., SOPs, Lessons Learned, Program Specifications).

    The Northrop Grumman logo and trademark statements should be removed from these documents upon updates. 

    The ICH trademark acknowledgement should be used:

         MedDRA® trademark is registered by IFPMA on behalf of ICH.

    __________________________________________________________

    Some materials referenced in this product are copyrighted.  Specifically:

    ANSI/ ISO/ ASQ Q9007-2015, Quality management systems – Requirements, Copyright © 2015 the American Society for Quality (ASQ).

    Capability Maturity Models®, CMM®, CMM IntegrationSM , People Capability Maturity Model®, and P-CMM® are service marks or registered trademarks of the Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University.

    COSTART Thesaurus Fifth Edition, Copyright © 1995 US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

    Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) Copyright © 1994 American Psychiatric Association.

    Hoechst Adverse Reaction Terminology System (HARTS), Copyright © 1992 Aventis Pharma.

    ICD-9, Copyright © World Health Organization
    The development and use of International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) are a shared responsibility of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

    ICD-10, Copyright © World Health Organization

    ISO 9001: 2000(E), Quality management systems – Requirements, Copyright © 2000 the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

    WHO Adverse Reaction Terminology (WHO-ART), Copyright © 1998 World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for International Drug Monitoring.

    WHO Drug Dictionary (WHO-DD), Copyright © World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for International Drug Monitoring.

    Other products and publications referenced herein may be copyrighted by their respective owners.

    Other

    Japanese Adverse Reaction Terminology (J-ART) is a product of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW).

 

Appendix B. MSSO Acronyms


A


AI
AMS
ASCII

Action Item
Accountability Management System
American Standard Code for Information Exchange

B


BRP

Blue Ribbon Panel

C


CCB
CI
CIOMS
COSTART
CPAS
CR ID
CRO
CRTM
CTD

Configuration Control Board
Configuration Item
Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences
Coding Symbols for a Thesaurus of Adverse Reaction Terms
Corrective and Preventive Action System (MSSO)
Change Request Identification Number
Clinical Research Organization
Contract Requirements Traceability Matrix
Common Technical Document

D


DIA
DMS
DRP:PTC

Drug Information Association
Discrepancy Management System
MedDRA Data Retrievl and Presentation:Points to Consider

E


eCTD
EEA
EFPIA


EFTA
EMA
EU
EVWEB
EWG
EXCL

Electronic Common Technical Document
European Economic Area
European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and
    Associations, is one of the ICH Parties and also a member of
     the ICH MedDRA Management Board
European Free Trade Association
European Medicines Agency
European Union
Eudravigilance Web
Expert Working Group
Exclusive, except

F


FAERS

FAQ
FCA
FCP
FDA
FTP

US FDA Adverse Event Reporting System; formerly known as
    "AERS"
Frequently Asked Question
Functional Configuration Audit
File Comparison Program
Food and Drug Administration (United States)
File Transfer Protocol

G


GVP

Good Pharmacovigilance Practices

H


HARTS
HLGT
HLT

Hoechst Adverse Reaction Terminology System
High Level Group Term level of MedDRA
High Level Term level of MedDRA

I


ICD-9
ICD-9-CM

ICH


ICSR
IDB
IFCC

IFPMA

IMO
INCL
IPRS
ISO
IUPAC

International Classification of Diseases – 9th Revision
International Classification of Diseases – 9th Revision (Clinical
    Modification)
International council for Harmonisation of Technical
     Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use
Individual Case Safety Report
Integrated Business Database
International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory
    Medicine
International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and
    Associations
International Medical Officer
Including
Intranet Program Review System
International Organization for Standardization
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry

J


J-ART
JMB
JMO
JPMA

Japanese Adverse Reaction Terminology
Japanese Management Board
Japanese Maintenance Organization
Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association

L


LLT
LOINC

Lowest Level Term level of MedDRA
Logical Observation, Identifiers, Names and Codes

M


MCA
MDB
MedDRA
MedDRA/J
MEDDRA
MHLW
MHRA

MMB
MOIR
MSSO
MTS:PTC
MVAT

Medicines Control Agency (United Kingdom)
MedDRA Desktop Browser
Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities
Japanese translation of MedDRA
Medical Dictionary for Drug Regulatory Affairs
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan)
Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency
    (United Kingdom)
MedDRA Management Board
Medical Officer's Implementation Review
Maintenance and Support Services Organization
MedDRA Term Selection: Points to Consider
MedDRA Version Analysis Tool

N


NCI
NEC
NGIS
NICHD
NOS

National Cancer Institute
Not elsewhere classified
Northrop Grumman Information Systems
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Not otherwise specified

P


PCA
PDF
PT
PtC
PhRMA

Physical Configuration Audit
Portable Document Format
Preferred Term term of MedDRA
Points to Consider
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America

Q


QA
QMS
QSM

Quality Assurance
Quality Management System
Quality System Manual

R


ROMP
RSS

Risk or Opportunity Management Plan
Really Simple Syndication

S


SMQ
SNOMED
SOC
SOP
SSC

Standardised MedDRA Query
Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine
System Organ Class level of MedDRA
Standard Operating Procedure
Special Search Category

T


TD&S

Terminology Development and Services

U


UK
UMLS

United Kingdom
Unified Medical Language System

V


VAERS
VDD

US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System
Version Description Document

W


WBB
WBS
WHO
WHO-ART

Web-Based Browser
Work Breakdown Structure
World Health Organization
World Health Organization Adverse Reaction Terminology

 

Appendix C. Special Characters in Word
special characters